The production of envelope assemblies that include paper business forms attached thereto, particularly for return receipt requested mail pieces (such as certified and registered mail, or insured courier delivered packages, etc.) are common. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,827 to Murray shows a return receipt request attached to the front or back of an envelope which has a window in the side. However, the Murray mailer is not adapted to be used with automatic processing equipment, having no tractor drive holes or the like, and because of the orientation of the return receipt on the envelope difficulties could be encountered in the return receipt being "chewed up" or otherwise adversely acted upon via automatic processing equipment, including printers.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,824,685 shows that it is well known per se to provide tractor drive strips for envelopes, but the envelopes of this patent are not adapted to have forms attached thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,203 to Sanders discloses automatically processed envelopes which may have certified mail receipts associated therewith, but the certified mail receipts are mounted on the flap of the envelope. Mounting on the flap provides less stability for the envelope assembly during automatic processing, and typically requires the use of more adhesive on the flap to positively hold it in place since the flap must support the weight of the return receipt. Other envelope assemblies with return receipts mounted on the flap, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,491,675 and 1,568,880, have similar problems.
According to the present invention an envelope assembly is provided, which is particularly adapted for return receipt situations (such as certified or registered mail), that has none of the drawbacks of the prior art as described above. The envelope assemblies according to the present invention may be readily automatically processed, with minimal chance of the return receipts being damaged by the automatic processing equipment, with greater ease of handling of the envelope assembly during construction, easy application of the outgoing address indicia thereto, reduced use of adhesive on the envelope flap, and with a number of other advantages, yet the envelope assemblies according to the invention are typically at least as cost effective as those of the prior art.
According to one aspect of the present invention an envelope assembly is provided comprising the following components: A paper envelope comprising a substantially quadrate body having first and second portions with first through fourth edges each with the first and third edges substantially parallel to each other, and the second and fourth edges substantially parallel to each other. The first and second body portions connected together adjacent the first through third edges thereof, and open to define an envelope pocket adjacent the fourth edge thereof. Tractor drive strips provided adjacent the first and third edges of at least one of the body portions. An envelope flap connected to the fourth edge of the first portion of the body and having an adhesive portion remote from the fourth edge of the first body portion. A substantially quadrate paper form having first through fourth edges with the first and third edges substantially parallel to each other, and the second and fourth edges substantially parallel to each other, and first and second faces, the second and fourth edges longer than the first and third edges. Indicia imaged on the form first face. The form connected to the first body portion along both the second and fourth edges and positioned so that the second and fourth edges of the form are substantially parallel to the second and fourth edges of the first body portion, with the form first face facing outwardly. And lines of weakness formed in the form substantially parallel to the second and fourth edges thereof to allow detachment of the form from the envelope by tearing the form along the lines of weakness.
The indicia imaged on the form first face preferably comprises return receipt indicia (such as for certified or registered mail), including a signature line. Also, certified mail indicia may extend from the first body portion to the flap. The form is typically connected to the first body portion by adhesive strips adjacent the second and fourth edges of the form, the lines of weakness being provided immediately adjacent the adhesive strips and on the opposite side of the adhesive strips from the second and fourth edges, respectively.
Typically, the envelope flap is substantially quadrate and has substantially the same width as the first body portion. The tractor drive strips may also be provided adjacent the edges of the flap as a continuation of the tractor drive strips adjacent the first and third edges of the first body portion. Typically, the second body has a width less than that of the first body portion by an amount substantially equal to the widths of the tractor drive strips of the first body portion (the second body portion having no tractor drive strips). In the preferred embodiment the second body portion is adhesively secured to the first body portion adjacent each of the first, second and third edges of the second body portion.
The first body portion and the flap may be formed by an integral piece of paper, with a line of weakness provided at the juncture between the flap and the first body portion. The adhesive portion on the flap may comprise a strip of rewettable adhesive on a section of the flap substantially the most remote from the fourth edge of the first body portion. The strip of adhesive (whether rewettable or of another type) is desirably the only adhesive on the flap (that is no adhesive strips along the side edges of the flap are necessary).
According to another aspect of the present invention an envelope assembly is provided comprising the following components: A paper envelope comprising a substantially quadrate body having first and second portions with first through fourth edges each with the first and third edges substantially parallel to each other, and the second and fourth edges substantially parallel to each other. The first and second body portions connected together adjacent the first through third edges thereof, and open to define an envelope pocket adjacent the fourth edge thereof. Tractor drive strips provided adjacent the first and third edges of at least one of the body portions. An envelope flap connected to the fourth edge of the first portion of the body and having an adhesive portion remote from the fourth edge of the first body portion. An outgoing address imaged or provided on the envelope flap and readily viewable as an outgoing address when the adhesive portion of the flap is sealed to the second body portion. A substantially quadrate paper form having first through fourth edges with the first and third edges substantially parallel to each other, and the second and fourth edges substantially parallel to each other, and first and second faces. Indicia imaged on the form first face. The form connected to the first body portion along both the second and fourth edges, with the form first face facing outwardly. And lines of weakness formed in the form substantially parallel to the second and fourth edges thereof to allow detachment of the form from the envelope by tearing the form along the lines of weakness.
The envelope assembly as described above also preferably has the form positioned thereon so that the second and fourth edges of the form are substantially parallel to the second and fourth edges of the first body portion. This orientation minimizes the chances that the return receipt--which is the preferred construction of the form--will be damaged during automatic processing. Other details of this envelope assembly may be as set forth above.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention an envelope assembly is provided comprising the following components: An envelope comprising a substantially quadrate body having first and second portions with first through fourth substantially continuous edges each with the first and third edges substantially parallel to each other, and the second and fourth edges substantially parallel to each other. The first and second body portions connected together adjacent the first through third edges thereof, and open to define an envelope pocket adjacent the fourth edge thereof. An envelope flap connected to the fourth edge of the first portion of the body and having an adhesive portion remote from the fourth edge of the first body portion, the flap having a maximum dimension from the first portion fourth edge less than the length of the first portion first and third edges. An outgoing address imaged or provided on the envelope flap and readily viewable as an outgoing address when the adhesive portion of the flap is sealed to the second body portion. A paper form having first and second faces. Indicia imaged on the form first face. And the form detachably connected to the first body portion so that the first face is readily visible. The details of the envelope assembly according to this aspect of the invention also may be as set forth above.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an advantageous yet effective envelope assembly containing a business form, and most desirably a return receipt. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.